Toledoan dies after hitting pole during police pursuit

A Toledo Edison worker secures a pole in the 500 block of West Bancroft Street in Toledo after a driver crashed into it while fleeing police Thursday. The driver was killed in the crash, police said.

A Toledo man who led police on a brief pursuit along West Bancroft Street on Thursday afternoon died after crashing his sport-utility vehicle into a utility pole.

The man, Lance Braswell, 34, of 2906 Warsaw St., was suspected of assaulting his girlfriend, Shelisha Garth, near Walnut and Sherman streets in North Toledo at about 12:10 p.m. Officers David Avalos and Daniel Revill saw the suspect circling the area and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspect instead fled, police reported.

Braswell took off westbound on Bancroft, nearly hitting several vehicles. Between Collingwood Boulevard and Parkwood Avenue, he lost control of the SUV and hit a utility pole, breaking it and leaving it dangling by wires.

Braswell, who was alone in the SUV, was extricated by Toledo fire crews. He was then taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Ms. Garth, whose age was not available, suffered “minor” injuries from the assault, said police Sgt. Mark Evanoff.

Raquel Brown of Toledo said she was on her way home, eastbound on Bancroft Street, when Braswell nearly struck her vehicle, she said. She estimated that the suspect was driving about 80 mph as he fled from police.

Ms. Brown said she pulled into the parking lot at Seaway Market on Cherry Street, “to get myself together.” She turned around headed westbound on Bancroft Street and saw the aftermath of the crash.

Twice after the crash, the vehicle caught fire, she said.

Bancroft, between Collingwood Boulevard and Parkwood Avenue, was closed for more than an hour while Toledo Edison crews worked to clear the broken utility pole.